Old Taylor Road Roundabouts Now Open

The Mississippi Department of Transportation (MDOT) recently completed a double roundabout project at Old Taylor Road near campus that is open to traffic.

While there is still minor work to be completed on the project, all major construction has been completed and the new four-lane road is ready for public use.

The project constructed a double roundabout at the Old Taylor Road and Highway 6 intersection. Roundabouts now sit on both sides of the Old Taylor Road bridge over Highway 6.

The new traffic configuration on Old Taylor Road will better accommodate increased traffic as the university begins fall classes. The roundabouts will relieve congestion on the Old Taylor Road bridge during peak hours, provide better access for motorists entering or exiting State Route 6 and give pedestrians and cyclists a safer route across the bridge.

“When you consider there are four main arteries coming to the point of the upcoming roundabouts, a four-way stop is not particularly effective,” said Ian Banner, director of facilities planning and university architect. “The new roundabouts will, in a nutshell, just keep things moving.”

The dual roundabout layout provides a continuous flow of traffic at each end of the bridge and decreases the delay in time between stops.

“This project will have a positive impact on how students and local residents access the campus and the City of Oxford,” said Transportation Commissioner Mike Tagert. “These new roundabouts and the additional lane capacity will greatly relieve congestion in this area.”

With the new double roundabouts in place, MDOT offers these tips to safely navigate through roundabouts:

Always yield to vehicles that are already traveling through the roundabout.

Make sure you choose the correct lane before you enter the roundabout. Once you enter a roundabout, you must stay in your lane.

To make a left turn: enter the roundabout, staying in the left lane and make a sweeping left turn three-quarters of the way around the center of the roundabout.

To make a right turn: as you approach the roundabout, make sure you are in the right lane. Yield to traffic already in the circle. Enter the roundabout and make a sweeping right turn one-quarter of the way around the roundabout, staying to the right of the roadway median as you exit the roundabout.

To make a U-turn: as you near the roundabout, make sure you are in the left lane. Yield to traffic already in the circle. If no cars are in the roundabout, you may enter. Enter the roundabout, staying in the left lane and make a sweeping left turn completely around the center of the roundabout. Exit the roundabout, staying to the right of the roadway median. Check to make sure there is no traffic in the outside lane before you exit.